Automatic speed-changing gear.



J. S. ANTHONY.

AUTOMATIC SPEED CHANGING GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28, 1906.

907,71 1 Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

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a 1 James 5. Ant/20m 227 @//W% M J. S. ANTHONY. AUTOMATIC SPEED CHANGING GEAR.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 28, 1906.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

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llll IIIIIII //7 l e/vzfar James 5. Ant/7 any M Azzz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES S. ANTHONY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC SPEED-CHANGING GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

Application filed. April 28, 1906. Serial No. 814,155.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JAMES S. A THONY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, Manhattan, county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Speed-Changing Gear, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to self-propelled vehicles, and its object is to provide a simple and efficient automatic speed-changing gear which will give the proper relative speeds of prime mover and driving wheels under all conditions of operation, without attention from the driver.

It has been proposed heretofore to control the speed-changing gear between the engine and the driving wheels of a vehicle by an automatic device, such as a centrifugal governor, responsive to variations in speed in the engine. Such an arrangement is not suited to all conditions of service, especially with internal combustion engines, since such engines give their maximum output at high speed, and consequently on steep grades or bad roads, where a large amount of power is required for driving the vehicle, it is desirable and often necessary to run the engine at high speed, which cannot be done with such automatic devices as heretofore arranged.

One feature of my invention consists in employing electromagnetic clutches for actuating the speed-changing gears, and in connecting the automatic controlling device to the driving wheels, instead of to the engine, and so arranging it that when the vehicle is at rest the low-speed gear is thrown in. With this arrangement the gear is controlled according to the speed of the driving wheels, so that running on a good level road, the

' gears are actuated so as gradually to increase the speed of the vehicle up to its maximum, while on striking a grade or a bad road,

' which slows down the vehicle, the high speed gears are thrown out and the low-speed gears thrown in successively, so as to permit the engine to operate at high speed with maximum output, and to drive the vehicle through the low-speed gear.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 shows a plan view of the frame of an automobile provided with automatic speed-changing gears arranged in accordance with my invention; and Fig. 2 shows a detail view, partly in cross-section, of the gearing.

In the drawings, A represents a primemover, such as an internal combustion engine, with its shaft a connected through the speed-changing gears B to a shaft 0, whichis connected through the difierential gear C and sprocket-chain d to the driving wheels D of the vehicle.

E represents a gear ump on the shaft 0. This pump consequent y revolves at a speed corresponding to the speed of the driving wheels, and produces a fluid-pressure corresponding to this speed. The pump delivers oil, or other suitable fluid from the reservoir 6 to the pressure-actuated device F, which controls the speed-changing gearing. This device, as shown in Fig. 2, comprises a spring-actuated piston f subjected to the pressure from the gear pump E and a valve f connected to the piston f and controlling three spring-actuated pistons G G and G connected to switch contacts in circuit with the magnetic clutches controlling the speed-changing gears. Ports communicating with the reservoir 6 are provided for returning to the reservoir the fluid which leaks around piston f and under the valve f.

H represents a hand-operated switch in circuit with the clutches, and with the source of current indicated by the battery I. To start the engine, switch H may be opened, thereby disconnecting the engine from the driving wheel by denergizing all the clutches. With the vehicle at rest, so that no pressure is generated by the pump E, the switch-contacts and the piston f are in the position shown in Fig. 2, so that when switch H is closed, as shown in this figure, the clutch b of the low-speed gear is energized. The engine is consequently con nected to the driving wheel through the low-speed gear. As the vehicle speeds up, pump E produces a pressure, whic passing through the hollow rod of piston f, and through valve f, actuates piston G to move its switch to the other position. This cuts clutch I) out of circuit, and energizes clutch (1 thereby increasing the speed of the vehicle. As the pressure generated by pump E further increases, piston f is moved toward the right, so as to cut the pump off from piston G and to connect it to piston G The pressure on this piston moves the second switch soas to out clutch'b out of circuit and energize clutch b A further increase of speed results, and u on a further increase of pressure generated by the pum clutch b is cut out and clutch-b is energizes. On striking a grade pr bad road, which slows down the vehicle, the reverse opera tion takes place; the lower speed clutches being consecutively cut in. All this operation 1s automatic, and requires no attention from the operator. In order to reverse the gear, switch H is moved to its other position, so as to break the circuit of all the clutches b to b, and to ener ize clutch 12, the ear of which is connecte to the engine s aft 0. through an idler While I have illustrated and described a speed-responsive device com rising the gearpump E and spring-actuate piston f, it will be understood that the particular construction of the device forms no part ofmy invention, and any other suitable speed-responsive device may be employed. Gear-pum s such as I have shown are well known in t e art, as devices for producing a pressure proportional to the speed. It will, of course, be understood that there must be leakage in the pump system, either in the pump itself, between the gears and the casing, or around the pistonf, or through a by-pass especially provided for that purpose. The arrangement of such a ump, to produce the pressure variations esired, is well understood in the art, and forms no part of my invention.

I do not desire to limit myself to the particular construction and arrangement of parts here shown, but aim in the a pended claims to cover all modifications w 10h are within the scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,

1. In a self propelled vehicle, a prime mozer, speed-changing gearing for varyin the relatiie speeds of the prime moi-er an the dri ing Wheels of the "vehicle, said gearing including electro-magnetic clutches, and automatic means responsive to variations in the speed ofthe drivin Wheels controlling the circuits of said clutc es.

2. In a self propelled vehicle, a prime mover, speed-changing gearing for varyin the relati e speeds of the prime mo 'er and the dri ing Wheels of the Vehicle, said gearing including electro-magnetic clutches, a pressure-generatim de'xice mechanically connected to the drinng wheels, and means rechanically connected to t sponsive to variations in the pressure generated in said device controlling the circuits of said clutches.

3. In a selfpropelled vehicle, a prime mover, speed-changing gearing for varyiri the relatlve speeds of the prime mover an the dri ing wheels of the vehicle, said gearing including electro-magnetic clutches, and means responsive to variations in the speed of the driving wheels controlling the circuits of said clutches, said controlling means being arranged to close the circuit of the low-speed clutch when the dri .in wheels are at rest.

4. In a self prope led vehicle, a prime mover, speed-changing gearing connecting the prime mover to the dri'ying wheels of'the vehicle, a speecl responsive deiice mechanically connected to the driiing wheels, and operative connections between said device and said gearing whereby said gearing is adapted to change the relative speeds of the prime moxer and the driving wheels at predetermined speeds of the driving wheels.

5. In a self propelled vehicle, a prime mofer, speed-changing gearing connecting the prime mover to the dri ing wheels of the vehicle, said gearing including electro-magnetic clutches, a speed-responsi -e de'.'ice meie dri'hing wheels, and switch contacts in circuit with said clutches and controlled by said (l6'.'l( '6 whereby said gearing is adapted to change the relative s eeds of the prime mo' er and dri.- ing whee s at predetermined speeds of the drizing wheels.

6. In a self propelled vehicle, a prime 1110.81, speed-changing gearing connecting the prime mo er to the driving wheels of the vehicle, said gearing including electro-magnetic clutches, a speed-responsive device mechanically connected to the dri ing wheels, and switch contacts in circuit with said clutches and controlled by said device whereby said gearing is adapted to change the relati e s eeds of the prime mower and dri;- in whee s at predetermined speeds of the (in mg wheels, said contacts belng arranged to close the circuit of the low-speed clutch when the driving wheels are at rest.

In witness whereof, I hate hereunto set my hand this twenty sixth day of April,

JAMES S. ANTHONY. Witnesses:

EDGAR E. CAFFALL, .JOHN W. BELL. 

